THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNISM
BY LUIS HUERTA

Communism is a political party that started with Karl Marx in 1847. Ever since, many countries have practiced this political system, the most famous being the Soviet Union with Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Lenin was born on April 22, 1870 in Simbirsk, Russia. His vision for change in Russia started in 1887 when his older brother Alexsandr was executed for trying to assassinate the emperor of Russia. He would eventually join the Bolsheviks, who later become the Communists. Lenin and the Bolsheviks would also lead the Russian Revolution. After the Revolution, Lenin became the leader of Russia until his death in 1924. Lenin's view of Communism was similar to Marx's view with some differences. Lenin believed that leaders would lead the proletariats into overthrowing a capitalist government. He also believed that a revolution would only end with the guidance of a government. They both believed that history was a class struggle between the rich and the poor.

Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was the leader of the People's Republic of China. He was the leader of the Cultural Revolution, which challenged old ways of thinking and start new again. He was also a founder of the Chinese Communist Party. His view of communism was similar to that of Lenin's and Marx's in the sense that he believed that peasants were the key to establishing communism in China. He also had an alliance with the Soviet Union because they had the same ideology. Zedong took over private businesses and killed people that used to be rich during his reign.

Backlash to Communism

There have been many examples of backlash to communism, the most famous being the Cold War, which was a period of tension between the USSR and the US. There was also backlash during the postwar years of WWI. Many people in other countries were not sure which political party was best and so many people wanted to make their country communists. The government didn't want this because they knew that the Soviet Union ruled with an iron fist.

Modern Connection

There are still some countries that practice communism, such as Cuba ever since Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Today, many people view communism as a threat rather than something good. Fidel Castro is very different than Marx, Zedong, and Lenin. First of all, he practices a different version of communism. People look at him as a dictator and not a leader like Lenin. Cuba practices a strict version of Marxism-Lenism. Like Zedong, there is no private property in Cuba. Everybody gets the same amount of necessities.

My View on Communism

I personally believe that communism can be better than capitalism if it is practiced right. I believe that it can work out if people don't allow greed to become a factor in how a country is ruled. In my vision of communism, people earn the same amount of money depending on their education. There are no homeless people or jobless people because the government would strictly enforce education. This communist country would also practice isolationism to keep out the greed from the country and not come between any alliances.